Apparatus and method for producing hollow piles



Oct. 14, 1947. Q Z|GENBEV|N I 2,429,012

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING HOLLOW PI LES Filed Feb. 12, 1946 zzwgmfir/y v INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 14, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS AND METHODFOR PRODUCING HOLLOW PILES 6 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for and method of producingconcrete piles or poles and it has particular reference to the forming,in vertical position, hollow concrete piles or poles, hereinafterreferred to as concrete pile.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an apparatus forcarrying out the steps of the pile forming method which comprises avertical frame in which is mounted for rotation a support for a taperedsteel form or mold which latter embraces concentricallv a perforatedsteel core suspended in the steel form or resting on its. bot tom andadapted to receive concrete for distribution through its perforations tofill the annularspace between the walls of the form and core.

The result is a hollow, tapered pile having battered Walls after theconcrete has attained a mechanical set and the form and core removed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pile forming apparatushaving a rotatable form and stationary or intermittentlyrotatable corewith means for introducing concrete in the plastic state into the coreand for discharging excess quantities hereof from the core at thebottom, together with means for creating at the bottom of the core apartial vacuum as an aid in expelling such excess concrete and to speedup A mounted on a shaft l6, supported in bearings l1 the drying processof the article formed. Moreover, the invention provides means forcentering the upper end of the form in relation to its rotatablesupport, together with means carried by and vertically adjustable on thecore for maintaining concentric relationship of the core and form, whichmeans likewise serves to close the upmr end of the form to predeterminethe length of the article formed therein.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention hasparticular reference to certain features of accomplishment to becomemanifest as the description proceeds, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a View of an apparatus constructed according to theinvention in vertical section.

, Figure 2 is an elevational view thereof rotated 90 from Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a view in transverse section, taken on line 33 on Figure-1.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, referencenumeral I0 denotes a support consisting. in the present case of aplurality of parallel I beams, on which is mounted a stationary base IIfor a rotary table IL The rotary table is supported on bearings I3 ofany suitable design and has a ring gear I4 thereon whose teeth areenmeshed by those of a drive pinion I5,

and chain driven through the medium of a sprocket l 8. This rotary anddrive is more or less conventional and may be substituted by any othersuitable rotating mechanism.

Unlike conventional rotary tables however, the 7 table shown has anannular boss 19, defining a central cavity in which is disposed thelower and smallest end of a tapered steel form or mold 20. At the upperor largest end of this form there is mounted an annular channeled member2|, serving as a track for rollers 22, mounted in bifurcated bearingsupports 23 which latter are affixed to and extend inwardly fromsuitable supporting means 24 secured to and extending from one to theother of perpendicular and relatively spaced angle irons 25 constitutingthe frame. These angle irons are braced at their upper ends bytransverse members 26 of similar construction.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the tapered shell or form 20,when placed in the manner shown in the central cavity of the rotarytable and supported at its upper end by rollers 22, it will revolvewithout deviating from the vertical when the rotary table is set intooperation by a suitable driving means (not shown).

Suspended or resting concentrically in the form 20 is a core 21, taperedsubstantially the same degree as the form 20. This core is hollow and isprovided with a multiplicity of perforations or openings 28. The coremanipulated in relation to the form 20 by means of a bail 29 and cable30 from a superstructure 3|, shown broken away in Figures 1 and '2, orfrom an independent derrick (not shown) of conventional construction.

The lower or smallest end of the core receives the end of a pipe 32which enters through a central opening in the stationary base I l androtary table 12 and serves, among other functions to be presentlydescribed, to hold the lower end of the core in concentric relationshipwith the form 20.

Concrete is pumped through the pipe 32 upwardly into the core 21 as theform 20 is rotated, the material flowing through openings 23 in the coreuntil such time as the space between the core and form is filled,whereupon pump pressure is reversed and excess quantities of materialare discharged through the pipe 32, thereby evacuating the core and,erecting in the bottom of the core a partial vacuum which will beeffective not only to extract excess concrete from the core but alsofore forming, a flanged collar 32a embraces the core 21 above itsmidsection and closes the annular space between the core and form at thetop. It is obvious, in View of the tapered walls of both core and form,that a number of collars are necessary which are interchangeable.Moreover, for convenience in replacing these collars and flanges, it ispreferred that they be made in semi-circular sections and bolted attheir ends and to the core. The flanges on the collars serve the dualfunction of closing the upper end of the annular space intermediate theform and core 21 to determine the length of the article to be formed, asdescribed, and to maintain centered.

relationship of the form and core at their upper ends.

The relationship of the form and core is such that the latter may beeither set down on the closed lower end of the form, as shown, so thatit will rotate with the form or the core may be suspended by the line 36slightly above the form bottom so that it may be held stationary whilethe form is rotated. In the latter case, a holding means for the core isnecessary and may consist of a conventional brake band, lever actuatedto contract the same on the core near its top or intermittent rotationo'f'the core may be effected by the arrangement shown in Figure 1. Thisarrangement consists of a crown gear 33a embracing the core near itsupper end and a dog 33?), pivoted at a to abracket 330 so that its innerand weighted end will normally fall between the teeth of the gear,holding the core against rota tion. To release the core's'o that it mayresume rotation with the form, a line 34a is attached to and dependsfrom. the tail of the dog 332), as shown, and upon pulling this line,the dog is elevated from the gear teeth. No limitation as to the mannerof performing the foregoing function is intended.

It is likewise obvious that where steel reinforcing may be required,such reinforcing may be interposed between the walls of the form andcore before the introduction of concrete.

After having produced a pile in the manner described, the core 21. iswithdrawn by exerting an upward pull on cable 3|, after which the formcontaining the completed article is removed from the frame and the formis withdrawn from the pile. The form is then again installed in theframe and the process repeated. It may be found expedient to leave theform ZElintact in the frame and Withdraw the pile therefrom by means ofthe cable 3!) and elevating means, not shown.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of somemodification and such modification as may be construed to fall withinthe scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to bewithin the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for producing hollow, tapered bodies of concrete comprisinga frame, a rotary table in said frame, a tapered form supported at itssmallest end upon and rotatable by said rotary table, means engaging thetop of said form for maintaining perpendicularity thereof in relation tosaid rotary table, a hollow, tapered and perforated core disposed insaid form in concentric relationship therewith and capable ofintermittent rotation therein, means for introducing concrete in plasticstate into said core at the bottom thereof to enter the annular spacebetween said form and core through the perforations in the latter, meansvertically adjustable on said core for closing the upper end of saidannular space to predetermine the length of the body being formedtherein, and means for driving said rotary table.

2. In a concrete pile forming apparatus, a ver-- tical frame, a taperedform Vertically disposed in said frame for rotation, a perforated andanalogously taperedv core mounted in said form, means for introducingconcrete under pressure into said core for passage into the annularspace between said core and form through the perforations in said core,an annular flange vertically adjustable on said core to close the upperend of said annular space to predetermine the length of said pile, meansfor securing said core against and for releasing the. same for rotationwith said form, means for relieving said core of excess concrete andmeans for rotating said form.

3. The structure as set forth in claim 2, further defined in that theannular flange normally closing the top of the annular space alsomaintains centered relationship of said core and form at their upperends.

4. The structure set forth in claim 2, further defined in that rollersoperating on vertical axes are spaced about and engage the top of theform for maintaining perpendicularity thereof with respect to itsrotatable support.

5. The hereindescri bed process of. producing hollow, tapered bodies ofconcrete, characterized by introducing into a vertically disposed,tapered form quantities of concrete under lp'ump pressure upwardlythrough a tapered core, in rotating'sai'd form during introduction ofsaid concrete, in intermittently rotating said core with the form, increating in the bottom of the core a partial vacuum to extract excessconcrete and moisture, in removing thecore from the form and finally inwithdrawing the completed body from the form after the material thereofhas attained. a mechanical set.

6. The process of producing a hollow concrete body, characterized byinitially introducing into a tapered, vertically disposed and rotatingmold quantities of concrete under pressure through" the bottom of acorrespondingly tapered and perforated core disposed for intermittentrotation, concentrically in said mold, in creating in the bottom of saidcore a partial vacuum subsequent to the forming of said body, to releaseexcessconcrete from the core and excess moisture from the formed body,in withdrawing said core from the completed body and finally inwithdrawing the body from the mold after said concrete has" hardened.

CLARENCE. E. ZIGENBEIN.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES. PATENTS Name Date Melville et al' Aug.18, 1931 Number

